Automatic feeding-table.



C. W. H. BLOOD. AUTOMATIC FEEDING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED 11110.14, 1911.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

0. W. H. BLOOD. AUTOMATIC FEEDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED D3014, 191

Patented Oct. 15, 2912.

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G. W. H. BLOOD.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING TABLE. APPLIGATION FILED 11110111911.

Patented Oct. 15,- 1912 M a w m .1 w B o m 1 7 v0 H H 10 b a w 5 w 6 mm aw w wo I t O. W. H. BLOOD. AUTOMATIC FEEDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED DBG.14,1911,

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

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.20 provi v boards or other stock supplied thereto i'rregularly, .for example, in intermittent;

UNITED STATES PATENr OFF-ICE.

, CHARLES W; H.' BLOOD, OF WINTHROP, MAQSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 7 130 S. A. WOODS MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING-TABLE.

- Applicati onfl led December 14,1911. Serial No. 665,593.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. H. 131001),

a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVinthi-op, county of Sufi'olk, State of 5 ilassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic FeedingTables, of which the following description, in comieetlonwlth the accompanying drawings, .is a specifica tion, like letters on the drawings represent ing like parts.

This invention relates to feeding mecha-. nism for advancing pieces of stock inva continuous line to a machine,forbperating,

thereon and, while having other andrnore general fields of usefulness,1sespec ally de signed to cooperate with -a planer or like machine to autoniatically feed aeont nuous line of boards or other stock to' the machine, n'nicipal ob ectof j the inventlon .ls to c a mechanism adapted to. rece ve bunches or carelessly, and to automatically take the boards one by one and feed themgin 2 5 proper alinenient to the planing mechanism. with the forward end of each board always abutting against the rear end of the precede ing one so that an uninterrupted line toth'e planer heads is maintained. The invention provides means to insure that only one board shall be advanced to the planer mechanism at .once andvadjustihents are provided to accommodate boards or other stock of varying widths and thicknesses I In carrying out my invention I connect the automatic feeding mechanism for operation in timed relation to the'planer and I preferably connect the driuing connections so that the feed mechanism ofthe feeding 40 table over-runs the drive or receiving capacity of the planer, say aboutltwenty per cent, so that the successlon ofboards bein fedare always closely pressed and vabutted.

Referring to the drawings, Figure '1- is a side elevation of my improved apparatus with a portion of the planer mechanisnr' Fig; 2 is an enlarged view, partly in eleva- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

mounting andvdrive connections of the feeding rolls Fig. 3'is a plan view of the aption and partly in section, showing the paratus. Fig. 4 is'a partial side view frompartial plan view of thevpnncipal gc parts. Fig. .6 is an elevation of the right hand portion of vFi 5 enlar ed and showing the manner of card fee Fig.7 isla partial side elevation correspondin to Fig.

I Fig. 8 is a, transverse-section oniin *of;;l ig.-3,-and' Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view-showing the n annerj of mounting one ofthe rolls; 1"

:x'lhe work-receiving'portion ofthe planer mechanism is indicated generallv at 1 and asthespecial construction thereofforms no part of j the present invention it is thought unnecessaryfto describe "the same particularly: herein. a -The' work receiving rolls 2' of connections 3 t0 ail-prime drive shaft 4 of the feeding table so that this'and the other parts of i the lifeedin'g mechanism are operated in definite timed relation to the movement of thepla'ner; The shaft iis mounted in'suitv able,bearingsfl5 in'a framework 6 which supports the feeding table 7 and the variouselements of the feed mechanism. The sha ft 4 V -shaped in cross-section formed on its periphery, the apexes of these ribs bein more or less sharp to engage the work for ateral feeding as later described. Other similarr' o1l s 9, 10, 11 with similar ribs 'arefmounted at intervals along the length of the table,

has fined theretoa roll 8 having spiral ribs these being connected to be driven from the shaft 4 of roll 8jby means of sprocket connections 12, 13,14 from each T011, shaft to the" succeeding one.- The several .rolls 8, 9, 10,

surface of table 7 as isusual for feeding and 11 have their tops slightly above the,

rolls, and so'long as the boards are free toadvancefendwise they are, moved straight forward by these rolls.

The table is provided at its work receiving side with a series of brackets-or arm s l5'extending diagonally upward from a supportthelevel of the tops ofthe feed rolls. These ing rail 16 approximately at orjjust above aruis form a sort of chute down which the boards depcsitedat random "are adapted to? V slide ,on to the rolls. I preferably form at least one of these arms, as sho wn th -a ri h i mediate one, with an upwardlyaprojecting beak'l? adapted to have boards rested thereon and swung or otherwisemanipulated for lowering on to the feed table. At the other side of the table from the arms 15 a guide wall 18 extends the length of the table,'this being on the side toward which the spiral 'ribs on the rolls tend to move the boards should they encounter an obstacle t-o their endwise movement. feed roll 8 has 006 rative therewith a conically formed or pineapple roll 19 like wise formed on its circumference with spiral sides of a forwardly projecting sleeve por tion of support 21 adjacent the roll to keep it in vertical alinement. To effect this movement manually a lever23 pivoted at '24 has connection with the bracket 21 by means of I a link 25. The lever 23 has a rod or bar 26.

pivoted thereto adapted to swing down and rest on the framework to hold the pineapple roll 19 elevated out of engagement with the work when desired. The roll 19 is in geared connection with the shaft 4 of roll 8 as seen at 27, so as to be driven in time therewith and has a range of movement up and down so that boards or other stock of considerable variations in thickness may be gripped between these-rolls and so that the roll 19 can be raised out of operative position when de-' sired. The gear connection 27 is, as shown, in the plane of thepivot axis 22 ofthe roll 19 so that the vertical adjustment of this roll does not materially disturbvthis gear connection.

To insure that only one board of the articular thickness being operated on s all pass between the rolls 8 and 19 at once, I provide a. guard stop,-28 extending transvers'el inward fromthe wall 18 a short dis-.

' tance ack of these rolls, this guard sto bethis moves or is moved down to engage the top of the board which has passed beneath the guard 28 to cooperate with roll 8 in feed- The forward spiral lar to the stop 28.n1a-y be provi ed farther ing of the boards to the rolls 8, 19 and to prevent an excessive piling up of the boards just back of these rolls.

slide collar 30 splined to shaft 4 is adapted o posite side of the table,at which the boards are fed by a fork bar 31 engaging the an operating knob on handle 33 at its other .end.

At the'forwar'd end of the feeding, table, just beyond the roll 8, 'afence or barrier 34 sage ofa single board, but no more Tlfis carrieris mounted on a transverse support 36 by means of clamp bolts 37- passing through elongated'slots 38 formed to permit thevb ariier to be adjusted lengthwise for serves as a stop for theboards as they are advanced lengthwise resting on diflerent curved peri the rearwa d rolls over'which' the boards moved transversely of. the table until they are alined against the wall 18 and can ht The diagona direction of the barrier34 cooperates with the spiral grooves on the rolls laterally of the tab e as they strike against it. Thus the guard stops 28, in connecti n with the rolls 8 and 19, insure the'gfeeding f the boards singly without one being on t p of another flatwise, while the restricted paisanism described at a speed somewhat in exany interval there may be between the rear of the next as delivered from the rolls being thus closed up, and each successive board having its forward end pressed against the reer end of the following one so at a conclutchsleeve, fixed to'a slide rod32 passing. 1 transverselythrou'gh the table, and having I extends transversely of the table in a diag onal direction with its end at the feed supply sideof/the table-nearest the-roll 8 and ex-'- \tending across the table so as toleave between its other end 35. and anextensionof gui e. wall 18 .a space sufficient to permit the-pa'sparts of the'roll 8- and: as the lengthwise movement oththeseis arrested, the spirally ery ofthis roll and of any-of endof a'pr'eceding board and the front end ing the same onward from ;-the work table. One or moreauxiliary g'uard-sto s 28"s1miback on the table to assist in the even feed-. a

A suitable clutch mechanism of any usual or .desired form and shown as a shouldered- 5 to connect and disconnect the belt drive connection 3 for rendering the feeding table op-' erative or inoperative, asrequired.-, This clutch is connected for operation from" the different-widths of boards. The barrier 34 may extend, causes the boards-to be quic'klybetween the ineapple' roll 19 and the r61 8.

to insure the speed transfer of the boards v sage between the end 35 of barrier 34 and tliev wall 18pre'vents the boards from being'd livered side by side edgewise. The drivi g connection 3operates thetable feeding mechcess of the receiving capacity of the planer, in practice about twenty per cent. faster,-

made certain. It is important, in view of the continuous forward pressing of one boardendwise another as delivered by the feeding tinuous feed line of boards to the planeris .table,"that the boards be kept down on their ide ways to the planer, so as=to insure t e abutting of the'ends against each other and prevent the riding of the forward end of one board overthe next one ahead, and

for this purpose I provide hold down 'm'em a sufiiciently yieldingnpressure 'upon the tops movement as affected '1) thc'spiralnb'sis of the boards as theyare' fed along-tattle planer. Thus, the feedingalinement of, the

- boards is preserved and warped or crooked stock prevented from .buckling 'upi to causeg I which Jndspecial attentionneed be given,-

trouble, on entering'the:planer. ,7

In use, the boards or other stockicanz be r deposited at random 'and'as irregularlyas may be on the receiving arms 15 or theitable 7, where they are taken up by, the-rolls 8,

9 10 and 11 and advanced to the-forward end of the feeding table, when, on comingagainst the fence or:barrier=.34,-they. are moved by the action of the spiral ribsilater ally toward the sidewall 18:1.- Sincethe'. boards merely rest on the spiral ribs ofv'the feed 'rolls. 8, 9, 10 and have not avery'inti mate contact with them, theirtransverse comparatively slow, so t at they-donotygt over far enough to pass throughthe opening betweenthe end of the fence 34 and the side wall 18 until .the'precding-board hasgottem too far away to be overtaken its transverse movement is accelerated to bring it rapidly over against the side .wall'andmtoi alinement withtheoutlet openingr This" acceleration of the transversejniovement ofthe boards is partly the function of-the'pine apple roll, as the instant this rolhengag'es" the' board from above, it adds suflicienh res sure to it, together with its own spirale' ectto bring the board quickly opposite thei opening allowing it to proceed on its fway and catch up with the nextiboard-aliead,'

. of the planing machine,'-and hence, even though there may be some little delay owing" to the transverse movement of a board d scribed, before it gets past the end'of the 23 for moving the roll 19 up and downer,

" siderable extent without attentio from the operator. When it is desired to .ender this roll inoperative the pivoted rod 96 on lever 23 is dropped down, as shown; so that the lever supports the roll up out of operative position.- My invention is thus adapted toautomatically feed'a line of boards continuously and withcertainty. at the high speed required in present day practice, positioning and alining these boards from a supply to "only 's'o ..that the supply 'isjsuflicientfor the planergfeed." v

' 'Iami aware that: various 'Inoditications in featgres of construction of the various parts :of the mechan1sm const tuting my invention ,5 irit thereof, .in'itsbroaderaspects, and I It erefolre desirflthat theembodiment herein. desiiribedlbeiconsideredas; illustrative and notrrestrictive, as I believdthe invention to. benewfor' the purpose'sset forth, and I desire'to cover the same broadly without limi-' tations; exceptas setforth in the appended" claims. -Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-' ters Putent is:

- 1-.An apparatus of the kind described, comprising-"means for receiving a'plur'a-lity of-boards at once andjfeeding them length-- wise, and means mounted and arranged for 'coiipera-tion' therewith= for selecting 'the board's -o'neby one as they 'aredel1vered thereto by said first named means and continuing' heir feed lengthwise in a continur'ous lln e." '1

comprising'mechani'sm forreceiving a pluinent" at-or ic'e, and delivering the same in a singlefcontihuous lin'e fwith a tendency to moye. at 'a' relatively high velocity, and means for operating onthe boards, said means being arranged and connected to b 'driiven so as'to receive the boards of said vancing t e same lengthwise, means mount 'edf'and arranged for cooperation thprewith caube-made:withoutdeparting from the A apparatusv ofthe described,

rality-ofboardsfin"iniscellaneous arran'geline at a relatively retarded rate whereby for selecting the boards one by one and continuing their feed lengthwise in a continuous line with a tendency to move at a -1 'ela t-ively high velocity, and mechanism for opcrating on the boards connected'to be'driven so as to receive said continuous line at a rela' tively retarded rate whereby the boards are held pressed end to end.

4; in apparatus of the kind described,.."

comprising a feed table adapted to receive a plurality of boards at once and having provision to feed the'same lengthwise, means at the delivery end of the tablearranged for coiiperation with said feed table for alining' the boards'lengthwise, and means for selecting the boards one by one and continuing their. advance lengthwise in a single continuous line.

5. An apparatus of the kind described,

- con'iprising a feed table adapted to receive 80 comprising a'feed table adapted to receive a plurality of boards at once and havingprovision for moving the same laterally,'\ alining means adjacent the side of the table toward which the boards are moved, means near the forwardend of the table for grip ping'the boards one by one and advancim .t-hem lengthwise i n endwise 'alinement, ant a barrier coooperative therewith for reventing the endwise movement of more t an 40 one board at a time from thetable.

TJAn apparatus of the kind described, comprising a feed table adapted to receive a' plurality of boards in miscellaneous as rangement at once and having provision for advancing the same lengthwise, means 00- operative therewith for ali'ning the boards in the direction of lengtl1\visc, feed, and cooperative rolls adapted to eltgage the boards one by one and deliver them from said feed table in a continuous line. i I 8. An apparatus of the ,kind described, comprising a feeding table adapted to receive a plurality of boards at once in mis cellaneous arrangement and having provision for advancing the same lengthwise, an

inclined barrier mounted at the forward end thereof and cooperative with the feeding means for alining the boards lengthwise, and means for selecting the boards as 0 thus alined one by one and continuing their itdVtlIlCB lengthwise in a single contlnuous 9, An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a feeding table, means mounted 5 thereon .for moving boards laterally, an

alining wall at the side otsaid table towardi ,'which the boards-are moved, and a-taperedroll adjacent said aliniiig wall: adapted to-- i.

press on'thebo'ards and cooperative for selecting the boards one by one andadvancing I them in endwise ,a'linenient as' deterunned by said .alining'wall, fromsaid table. 1 'IOAA'n apparatus of the. kind described, comprising a -feeding.. table adapted to re- -f 'ceive a plurality of boardsxfin '-n1'iscellaneous' A arrangement,- means mounted thereon 'for movingthe boards laterally .of the table,

alining means adjacent the sideof the table toward whichthe boards' are moved, anda t'apered roll-mountedadjacentsaid aliningf' means and arranged: to press upon the W boardsfrom ab'ove aridcoiiperate in ad vancingthem. from the 'efeefd table" in end? wise alinement as determined by said alin- 'ing means.- r

11. An apparatus'of 'thekind described, comprising a feeding table, '-rol1s mounted thereon having sp irally ribbedperipheries, a

an alinin'gwall-at one side of said ta 1e, and means adjacenflsaid .wall for selecting the 5 boards one by'one and advancing them .in a

continuous -line while hldin'f alinement 'ag'ain'st saidawall. A

12; An' apparatus of the .des cr1bed,

comprising a -feeding.-table,- rolls mounted. 9 :1

thereon with spirally ribbedperi heries an alining wall atzone'side'ofsald'ta le,'-and.an

inclined barrier at the forwardend' ofsaid 1 table cooperative with said rollsjfor aliningie k I the boards lengthwise; s .13. An apparatus of the kind described,

comprisin a feeding table, rol1s mountedthereon with spirally ribbd peripheries, 'an

alining wall at onesideofsaid table, an in-l clined barrier. at- -the' forward, end of said= i table coiiperative with said" rolls for' alimn'g theiboardslengthwise, -t'-here-being' a passage between the end of said barrierand said' wall for a sin le b'oardline,-and meansfor ad in acontinuouslinethrotigh said=passa p 14. An. apparatus of the-kind described, L'-

vancing't e boards from said feeding table 1a comprising a feedin table having a'plurality'of spirally ribbe rolls mounted thereon, an alinmg v'all at 'one sideiof-said tab1e,"1 5

a-nd upwardly inclined arms at theother side of said table forming a. chute way down; I i t e t a I An PP ratusLof the kinddescribed,

com rising Ia feedin "table havinga plurality of spira'llyrib rolls mounted thereon, I I an aliningavall at onefside of said table, and upwardly inclined arms at. the other- I side of said table forming a chute-way down thereonto, one of said arms ,havmg an u ,standin beakadapted to have the boar balance thereuponto facilitate their posi tionin on the'table. 16. 1 n apparatus of the kind described,

comprising mechanism for receiving a plu-'--.1so

tapering ribbed roll cotiperative with the forward one of said feeding'rolls mounted .ribbed cylindrical feeding roll at its forward end, a vertically adjustable tapering.

rality of boards at oncein miscellaneous arrangement, and delivering the same in a single continuous line, said mechanism ineluding an alining wall at one side thereof, means for simultaneously pressing the boards against said wall-and feeding the same lengthwise, and a guard stop preventmg more than one board at a time being engaged by said last namedmeans.

17. An apparatus of the kind described,- comprising a feeding table havingspirally ribbed feeding rolls, a barrier at the forward end of said table cotiperative with said rolls for shifting the boards laterally, and a tapering ribbed roll cotiperative with one of said feeding rolls for receiving the laterally moving boards and continuing their endwise movement. r 18. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a feeding table having spirally ribbed feeding rolls, a barrier atthe for-" ward end of said table cotiperative with said rolls for shifting the boards laterally, -a tapering. ribbed roll coiiperative with one of said feeding rolls for receiving the laterally .moving boards and continuing their endwisc movement, and a guard stop pre -I venting more than one board at a time being engaged between said tapering rollfand said feeding roll.

1.9. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a feeding table provided with. spirally" ribbed feeding rolls, ali alining. wall at one side of said feeding table, an inclined barrier at the forward end thereof, a'

adjacent said alining wall, and a guard stop for preventing more than one board at a. time being engaged between said tapering roll and said feeding roll, there being a pas-- sage between the end of said barrier and said alining wall permitting thepassage of a single board line only. L

20. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising a feeding table having a spirally ribbed roll mounted thereover at one side thereof, a guard stop preventing more-than one board at a time engaging between said rolls, and means for moving the boards endwise and shifting the same laterally to bring them into engagement with said rolls.

21. An apparatus of the kind described,

comprising a feeding table provided with spirally ribbed rolls, an alining wall at one side of said table, abarrier at the forward end of said table adjustably mounted to procomprising afeeding table having a spirally ribbed cylindrical feeding roll at its forward end, an-"inclined barrier adjacent thereto, a tapering roll mounted over said cylindrical roll for vertical'movement, said rolls being coiiperative for engaging the'forward ends of the boards and advancing them, one by one from the feeding table, and

'an alining wall cooperative with said rolls for delivering the boardsin a continuous line.

23;;An apparatus of'the kind described, comprising mechanism forreceiving boards in miscellaneous arrangement, and delivering the'sa rhe inia' single'continuous line, said mechan sm halvlngprovlslon for pushmg the v,board line alting'so that the forward end of each board is, pressed against the rear of the preceding one and hold down devices arranged to pre-ss upon said line to prevent v the board-ends from lapping over one anotherunder the influence of sudh pressure.

24. An apparatus of the kind described, comprising mechanism for receiving boards in miscellaneous arrangement and delivering the same in a continuous line with a tendency to a relatively accelerated rate of movement. operating mechanism connected to be driven in timed'relation thereto for receiving the board line at a relatively retarded rate .whereby the boards are held pressed end to end, and :hold down devices arranged to press on the board line to prevent the board ends from overlapping.

25. An apparatus of the kind described,- comprising mechanism for advancing boards longitudinally and delivering them in a single continuous line, and means mounted and arranged for cotiperation with said mechanism for moving the boards transversely at: an intermediate stage in their longitudinal movement to bring them 'into lengthwise alinement. Y Y

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in-the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' I CHAS. W. BLOOD.

Witnesses! 1 041m G, Osrnnan;

E. W. ALLEN. 

